Question NW757 to the Minister of Home Affairs
29 April 2024 - NW757
Arries, Ms LH to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
What (a) total number of identity documents have not been collected since 2014 and (b) interventions have been taken to ensure that identity documents are collected before 29 May 2024?
Reply:
a) The total number of Smart Identification Cards (ID) fluctuate usually on any given time because, as Id Cards are collected, new applications come in immediately.
Most people who apply for Id Cards, actually have the green identity booklet, hence they are not in a hurry to collect smart Id Cards because they still have the Id (green barcoded) booklet which allows them to do everything.
Presently the number of uncollected new issued Id Smart card is 105,000.
(b) Part of the intervention strategies being employed to ensure that identity documents are collected before 29 May 2024 include: -
- Home Affairs will open its offices countrywide for seven (7) Saturdays prior to Election Day. These are 06, 13, 20 April 2024 and 04, 11, 18, and 25 May 2024, which will be from 08H00 until 17H00, to encourage collection of identity documents, as well as dealing with resolution of duplicate cases.
- Additional three (3) hours per day of service delivery on 27 and 28 May 2024 will be effected.
- On Election Day, 29 May 2024, Home Affairs will extend its operational hours in line with the IEC.
- Mobile Units will be deployed to far-flung areas where Home Affairs does not have presence.
END.